


Revolutionary

by BananaMilkRabies



Category: The Glass Scientists (Webcomic), The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde - Robert Louis Stevenson
Genre: Alternate Universe - 1930s, Alternate Universe - Robots & Androids, Android!Hyde, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Bottom Edward Hyde, Bottom Hyde propaganda, Dad!Jekyll, Einfield is just happy to be here, Everyone Needs A Hug, Existential Angst, Existential Crisis, Flashbacks, Help, Hyde goes missing and Jekyll loses his mind, Hyde is Jekyll's son, Hydebot, Hydebot wants to be both Jekyll and Hyde SO BAD, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, I am misleading you all, Jekyll and Hyde are Separate People, Lanyon seems rude but give him a break he's grieving, M/M, Mechanic!Jekyll, Mechanic!Lanyon, Multi, Not Beta Read, Other The Glass Scientists characters will be mentioned but none will show up, Past Abuse, Past Character Death, Past Relationship(s), Poor Hyde, Probably the most serious fic I've ever written, Slow Burn, Snowed In, Sorry Not Sorry, Tags Are Hard, Things happen that's for sure, This Is Not Going To Go The Way You Think, This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things, Top 10 words never spoken together before, Utterson and Einfield are trapped with Lanyon and Hydebot for a week, Very big plot twist you're gonna shit your pants, Work In Progress, at all, if you will, snowstorm, utterson is daddy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-10
Updated: 2020-11-19
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:21:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,625
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27497104
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BananaMilkRabies/pseuds/BananaMilkRabies
Summary: What seemed to be a simple robotics project will reveal itself to be far more sinister.
Relationships: Edward Hyde/Gabriel John Utterson, Edward Hyde/Richard Einfield, Past Dr. Henry Jekyll/Dr. Robert Lanyon
Comments: 1
Kudos: 11





	1. Day One - Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Beginning.

Hastie Robert Lanyon sent me a letter as soon as he could.

“Henry Jekyll is dead. You must visit, it is urgent,” is the simplified description. It almost felt as if Robert was torn between writing the letter to me and writing Henry’s obituary.

However long the notice was, Henry’s death quite shocked me. He seemed like a person who valued life, cherished it. It was not suicide, it said, though I would assume Henry would be more cautious of himself.

But the Reaper picks the prettiest flowers.

Upon arriving at Robert’s home with my young cousin in tow, it begins snowing.

My cousin laughs. “How strange. It's only November. Snow this harsh usually comes next month.”

“Richard now is not the time to study weather patterns,” I say. “We've no winter clothes. We'll freeze if we stay out here much longer.”

He nods. “I suppose.”

I walk up to Robert’s front door. His house is sizeable; Robotic technicians don't make much less than a lawyer so it's no surprise he's bought a big house for himself. Besides, who within our community would object? It's all about showing our privilege sometimes.

I am pulled from my train of thought by quiet yet audible clicking.

“Footsteps,” Richard murmurs.

Sure enough, from behind the front door, I hear Robert's hurried footsteps as he comes to let us in. He undoes his 4 front door locks (I still don't know why he needs so many), before cracking the door open just enough for us to see him. 

Robert is a prim, uptight man. You can tell just by the way he dresses. Always making sure that he presents himself the best he can muster. He accepts no less than perfection, not only from himself, but also those around him.

I care for him deeply, just as I did with Henry, but Robert does not need to dictate anyone's etiquette but his own.

“Ah, Gabriel, I'm glad you could make it!” He smiles at me, stepping aside so we can walk in. “Please, it's far too cold out there. Come in.” 

I smile right back as I step inside, removing my coat and placing it on the coat rack beside the door. Richard does the same. 

Robert’s smile falters slightly when he sees my cousin. “I see you've brought Richard with you.”

Richard sinks back. As the only one to have not finished studying his profession yet, he's always felt quite out of place within my friend group. He and Robert are also not the most compatible.

“Yes. Is there a problem with that?”

He shakes his head. “No, absolutely not! I just… Wasn't expecting him is all.”

Robert leads us to a sitting room, where he offers us tea before sitting down to talk. We discuss many things, most revolving Henry: What to do with his property, his research; Organizing a funeral and public statement about his death, and what to do about his will.

“He had a will?” Richard sits up in his seat. Now he's interested.

Robert sighs, “Yes, but unfortunately the only person in it is also dead, so there isn't much we have to go on.”

Richard looks at me quizzically. “Who could that be? A lover? A sibling?”

“Child,” I interrupt. “He had a son.”

Robert nods. “Edward.”

Richard’s eyes widen. “Edward?! But I thought he was Jekyll’s-”

“-Jekyll’s assistant. That was a cover-up.” Robert’s tone is sour. He obviously doesn't want to talk about Edward.

“But why? How did he die?” Richard looks about ready to panic. I put my arm around his shoulder in an effort to comfort him. “I didn't even… How long ago was it?”

I look at Robert. He looks back at me. “It happened just about two years ago. We don't know how. We never found a body,” the former answers.

“Oh.” I feel Richard lean against me. With a sigh, I place my teacup down.

It's quiet for a while.

Finally, Robert speaks up. “And he has no other living family members, that we know of anyway. So really, we may have to go to court about splitting it.”

“We shouldn't need to do that. I say we should take any significant or important items, then sell the rest.” Robert looks down on me. “We don't need to keep his every possession, Lanyon.” 

He knows I'm right because he offers no rebuttal. After all, I work in the courtroom, and know more about its functionality than he could.

There is more silence that follows. Suddenly Robert gets up and walks out of the room, closing the door behind him. Richard and I sit, lost for words, in silence. 

Richard sits up straight. “What was that for?”

“I don't know,” I mumble. Confused, I try to occupy myself by reading some of the papers on the table, but they are all of Henry’s death and aren't very interesting.

About five minutes later, Robert walks back into the room, keeping the door open this time, and sits back in his chair to look at the papers again. Richard and I look at each other, subconsciously trying to get each other to ask him what that was for.

Richard decides to speak up first. “Um, Lanyon, what was the point of that?”

Robert looks up, an almost apathetic expression on his face, before looking over his shoulder at the door he left open. He sighs, turning his body to better look out into the dark hallway. 

“Hey,” he says. “Come here. They're not going to hurt you.”

No response from whoever-- or whatever-- is in the hallway. Robert sighs again, snapping his fingers. “Hey. Come here.”

Nothing still.

“You know I don't like to repeat myself.” Another snap of his fingers.

Some movement within the darkness catches my eye. If you were to look hard enough, you could see a silhouette. It's small, clearly young, and clearly humanoid. 

Strangely familiar as well.

Robert also sees the movement, nodding. “Yes. That's right. Just come here. Come to me.”

The person in the hallway moves again, and I see a shoe step into the glow of the tea room before it steps back again. Robert groans, standing up and walking towards the door. Whatever was in the hallway has retreated.

“No- Hey! Come back here!” Robert calls out, but the person does not listen. He hangs his head, returning to his seat, and very obviously frustrated.

Richard stares at the hallway, before pointing at it and asking, “Who was that?”

I place a hand over Richard’s. “Richard it's rude to point-”

“That's Henry's last project.” Robert grits out. “And it's bloody frustrating, too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ive had this work sitting in my pc for like. a week. finally got the courage to post it!!
> 
> its gonna start slow whoops sorry :/
> 
> hope you enjoy tho!!


	2. Day One - Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The project is revealed.

“That's Henry's last project,” Robert grits out. “And it's bloody frustrating, too.”

Richard and I stare at him in disbelief. What on Earth does that mean? 

Henry, like Robert, was a robotics technician. They often worked together on projects, borrowing tools and supplies, or lending a hand. And now that I think about it, Henry would have most likely given Robert his last project. Which appears to be a robot.

I voice my thoughts. “So, he created a robot?”

Robert places his head in his hands. “Yes. And it's amazing.”

“Wait,” Richard says. “I thought you said it was a handful.”

“It is, but it's also an incredible advancement in robotics technology. It can think, which is why it's being difficult.”

A robot that can think? There's no denying the importance of such an revolutionary feat. However, Robert is right; If a robot can think, it can rebel.

Robert leans back in his chair. “Henry said that if anything were to happen to him, I were to take this robot and ‘care’ for it. Granted when I'd first seen it, it was dormant, and I didn't understand the extent that Henry went to make it as human as possible. I agreed, obviously; It looked so real. I was curious as to how it worked.

“But Henry was bent on its dormancy while in his home. He kept it in a glass box, as if it were a doll, in his cellar. Whenever I would visit, I'd try to get a look at the robot. Every time I succeeded, not even a hair on its head was out of place.

“Upon hearing of his death I recalled our agreement, and rushed to his home. The robot was in the same exact place, but it had been moved. The glass door was open, as if in Henry's fleeting moments he grasped the robot and kissed it.” Robert shivers in disgust. 

“Anyway, I took it back here, and turned it on. It doesn't speak, I don't know if it can, but it's eyes show emotion like I've never seen. If only I did not have power over it, to turn it on and off. Then maybe I would have thought him to be a real, living person.

“That's how real it looks.”

Robert takes a deep breath. In the time of his monologuing he had tensed up, sat up straight, moving his hands sporadically in an attempt to further immerse us in his storytelling. While I watched, totally rapt, Richard looked down to picture the world of Robert’s story. 

It is clear that he is finished. There's not much more to tell. I clear my throat. “So, can you pinpoint any of the robot’s behaviours that would make Henry hesitant to-”

“There!” Richard exclaims, pointing at the hallway again. He sounds horrified. Robert and I turn to look.

If I had not known Edward was dead, I would have believed if you said this is him.

This robot is identical to him. Its height, its face, even the hair. It stands almost motionless, a  
blank stare as it looks at us. It's wearing a button up shirt and a red vest, both of which are far too big for its petit frame. I recognize the clothes as Jekyll’s; It's almost as if the robot is trying to dress like him. 

I feel Richard cling to me. I don't blame him.

“This is… Hm.” Robert begins to introduce the robot to us, but seems to remember something. “Well I haven't really even thought of what to name it.”

Richard peeks out from behind my arm. “His name is Edward,” he says meekly.

Robert only laughs. “Are you mad? Edward is dead. This robot is not a ‘he,’ and is certainly not the man it's designed after.”

Are you kidding me, Lanyon? Richard just found out a cherished friend of his died, and you say something like that? Not to mention that Henry very obviously made this look like Edward on purpose. It would only be practical to name it after him.

He seems to notice how harsh his words are when Richard ducks behind my arm and I glare at him. “Oh. That came out wrong,” he says. “What I mean is this is far too unlike what Edward once was to be him, in any capacity.” Robert turns around to look at the robot.

The robot is staring at him, blank features, but eyes full of such rage it could shatter glass.

Robert is obviously taken aback by this, as is Richard, as am I. He clears his throat. “Um. What should your name be?”

The robot’s eyes soften, if even possible. It's now in thought. 

How is it possible that this robot’s face doesn't move whatsoever, but just the eyes can tell you how it's feeling?

What am I saying? Robots can't have feelings.

The robot looks down at Robert's hand, then back up to his eyes. Robert is holding a pen.

“He may want to write it down,” I suggest.

Robert looks at me. “You're right. It might want to.” 

He grabs a piece of paper-- what's on it I do not know-- and sets it on the corner of the table with his pen. The robot steps forward, takes the pen in hand, and scribbles something down.

All of us watch, anxious as to what it might say.

Eventually, the robot steps back, placing the pen down, then looks up at Robert. His eyes seem full of hope.

Robert picks up the piece of paper. He reads aloud, “I am Edward. That is what Henry called me.” He scoffs, placing the paper and pen down. “Well, I guess it's settled. Edward it is.”

Edward’s eyes shine with happiness, but his face doesn't move at all. He stands still, hands folded in front of himself, eyes moving from me, to Richard, to Robert.

“Well, this has been a long and exhausting meeting,” Robert sighs. “Richard, Gabriel, it was good to see you at least.”

“Are you kicking us out?” I tease, and Robert laughs.

“No, but it is getting late. I feel the two of you should be heading to your homes.” He leads us out of the room, shutting the door behind him. From what I could see, Edward still does not move.

As we get prepared to leave, Robert looks out the window. He pulls back, a troubled expression on his face. 

“Shall we talk again tomorrow?” I ask.

Robert looks over at me, arms crossed. “You may not have a choice,” he grumbles. “The road looks far too snowy to even walk on.”

I look out his window, and sure enough there looks to be a good few centimetres of snow on the ground. Our carriage also seems to have left. “It appears we're stuck here until the storm leaves,” I sigh, and Richard sighs with me.

“There's not much I can do except show you to your guest rooms,” Robert says. “Though I didn't expect overnight company, I suppose there's not much else I can do.”

Robert has about four guest bedrooms in his house, one for each of his friends, which includes me and Richard. He was also kind enough to get extra pyjamas for guests, which we will be using for tonight. 

We all seem rather tired, so we retire to our rooms after saying goodnight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> robert: robot no human  
> hydebot: you dare oppose me mortal
> 
> anyway this chapter was a lot of fun!! next chapter goes really fast tho teehee


	3. Night One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A visitor.

“Hello, Utterson.”

I slowly open my eyes. I'm still at Robert's house, I can tell by the room I'm in, but this voice… I cannot tell if it's new or I just haven't heard it in a while.

Sitting up, my eyes adjust to the darkness of the room. Outside I can hear the wind blowing by. Next to the window, in the far corner of the room, is a figure. Once I can make out the silhouette, I suddenly remember.

That was Edward’s voice.

That figure is Edward.

“What is happening…?” I ask, to nobody in particular. Can Edward talk? Why is he in this room? Am I imagining this whole thing? Dreaming it? 

Maybe I'm hopeful that Edward will hear and come to my aid, that I'll be reassured this is all some dream, but with each second that passes I feel more awake than before.

Edward must have noticed because next thing I know he's right next to my bed. Try as I may, I can't make out his face. Part of me wonders if he even has one.

The robot leans forward. “You called me ‘he,’” he says. “Thank you.”

I did? “Uh, yeah. No problem,” is all that comes out of my mouth. What do I do? This is real, it has to be. I am truly experiencing waking up in the early hours of the morning, by a robot clone of my deceased friend's deceased son, who may or may not have a face.

A perfectly normal day in my life, I suppose.

“You have questions.” I jump when I suddenly hear Edward’s voice. He's now standing more like the real Edward would; With his arms crossed over his chest. “I will answer as many as I can before morning.”

I sigh, unsure of what to say. He's right, I do have questions, but how will I go about asking them?

However, he's still just a robot. so I will ask what I feel I must.

“How did Henry make you?”

Edward says nothing. He's probably trying to recall the data he has on Henry.

Finally, he speaks. “Henry and I were very close. When he first created me, first activated me, it felt like being born again. I was curious, eager, and grateful. Not so say I am none of those things now, however.

“Henry cried when he activated me, then cried again 10 minutes later when he told me, ‘Edward, things are going to change now. I want to tell you I love you, and will see you soon.’ He put me in rest mode; It is when I am turned off, but can be turned back on without the passcode. Henry said, ‘It is only when I am gone, and Lanyon comes to pick you up, that you activate again.’

“I do not know what he did to himself. I do not know if you do either, but it was definitely intentional.”

My heart drops. “So, he…”

Edward’s silhouette nods. “Henry killed himself.”

Robert said it wasn't a suicide. Did he lie to me? Was he unaware? Why would Henry even kill himself? I don't know if I want the answers to those questions right now.

A hand is placed on my shoulder. It's cold like a corpse’s hand, but soft. I jump at the touch. “I am sorry,” comes Edward's voice. The weight on the bed has narrowly shifted; While I still weigh down most of the mattress I can feel that someone-- Edward-- is sitting next to me. “I did not want him to die either. But he knows best. I am sure we will see him again someday.”

“How did he do it, Edward,” I demand. “How did he make you? Why do you look and sound and feel so real?”

He pauses. “I do not know,” he says. “Henry told me my outer layers are made of silicone, resin, and glass for the eyes, specifically. My interior is designed to keep me lightweight. Henry insisted on carrying me around while I was awake.”

I bite my tongue, feeling him inching closer to me. “Do you have another question?”

“Quite the understatement, Eddie,” I scoff. “I have hundreds of them.” 

I chuckle. There is silence on Edward's end. The hand on my shoulder slowly removes itself. I turn to look at Edward as best I can in the dark. He's still seated next to me on the bed, but stays unmoving. Concerned, I reach out to him. “Edward?”

What am I doing, reaching out to this robot as if he were alive? What is Edward doing in my room in the first place? 

But before I can touch him, Edward has launched himself at me and engulfed me in a hug. I almost fall back on my pillow, but he's so light it's not difficult to stay sitting up. His hands, on my back, grasp at and wring the fabric of my nightshirt. His small, synthetic body trembles in my arms.

I instinctively hug back. Edward is acting like a lost child. It reminds me of when we first lost him. He just disappeared one day, and nobody ever found him. Henry was a wreck for months. If we did find Edward, though, I'm sure this is how it would have been.

The real Edward's disappearance probably drove Henry to create the Edward I'm cradling right now.

“Eddie,” he whispers. I feel no movement in his jaw, as if his voice is just emitting from his skin. “You called me Eddie.”

“Yes, I did,” respond, voice just as quiet. “And I take it you like it?”

Tremors wrack through Edward's body. “Yes,” he breathes. He sounds close to tears. It worries me.

I rock back and forth. “Then I shall call you Eddie, if it makes you feel good.”

No response other than another shudder. Sighing, I pull his lower half into my lap. I recognize the material of his pants and vest as Henry's clothing. Does Edward have other clothes? He must; Robert must have taken them back here with Edward, and Henry certainly wouldn't throw them away.

After about a minute of holding him in my arms, the tremors die down. “I never realized how cold I was until I made contact with you,” says Edward. “You are so warm.”

Something about his words makes my heart swell. “And you're quite cold,” I say, giving his abdomen a light squeeze. “I'm glad you like being held, as well. Why else would Henry make you so light?” Again, no response from Edward, but he does let go of my back and lean away from my shoulder. Even at this proximity, I can't make out his features.

“Do you have another question?” he says, all shake from his voice gone.

I place my hands on his shoulders. “I think I’m done asking questions for the night. I may not be able to handle any more.”

Edward nods. “You must process. That is okay. Tomorrow night I will return and answer more questions.”

Tomorrow night? I doubt I'll be here tomorrow night. However, if the snow persists, I may not have a choice. “We will see,” I say. “If the snow stays, so will I.”

“Then I hope it never stops snowing.”

I chuckle. “Well, I must rest. Until we meet again, Eddie.” I expect him to move off my lap, which he begins to do, but he pauses. 

Edward looks at me, or at least I think he does. “May I hug you again?” His voice is quiet, as if he's nervous.

Sighing, I bring him back against my chest. “Yes. But only for a little bit.”

I fall asleep with him in my arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> henry had access to modern-day body safe silicone because i said so now go back to class
> 
> *my 7 missing assignments in german stare me down as i hang my head in shame*
> 
> anyway the next chapter sure does exist. let me tell ya


End file.
